2015 Volume 62 Issue 1 Pages 1_79-1_88
This study investigated 12 kitchens regarding the procedures of cooking, use of kitchenware, movement paths of the subjects, and stopping points. The subjects' movement paths during cooking were recorded on a notational map, and interviews were conducted on the perceived inconvenience of the subjects. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 100 subjects in four scenarios: "combined refrigerator and counter, combined kitchen and dining area", "combined refrigerator and counter, separate kitchen and dining area", "separate refrigerator and counter, combined kitchen and dining area", and "separate refrigerator and counter, separate kitchen and dining area". The results showed that "combined refrigerator and counter, combined kitchen and dining area" can minimize inconvenience; however, "separate refrigerator and counter, separate kitchen and dining area" is the common design (57%). Regrettably, individuals with limited mobility and the elderly tend blame such inconvenience on their own disability, and forced themselves to become accustomed to the current kitchen design.
